Tibetans and supporters around the world joined Dharamshala for celebrations to mark the 104th anniversary of the Tibetan Proclamation of Independence in 1913 by His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama.
Student’s for a Free Tibet (SFT) organised two events, a panel discussion in Dharamshala on the Potala Palace in Lhasa, and the “Tibetan Cultural Festival’’ was held in New Delhi.
Speakers for the panel discussion were Namgyal Dolker Lhagyari, Member of the Tibetan Parliament-in-Exile and President of Gu-Chu-Sum, the non-government organisation supporting Tibetan ex political prisoners; Dorjee Tseten, Member of the Tibetan Parliament and Asia Director of SFT and writer-activist Tenzin Tsudue. They spoke on the historical significance of the Potala Palace, its symbolism in the current Tibetan freedom struggle and the hope of returning to a free Tibet that the monument instills in exiled Tibetans. The discussion was followed by a screening of a short video clip in which exiled Tibetans were asked what the Potala Palace meant to them and a screening of the rare documentary Potala Palace. A photo exhibition was on display for participants and observers.
The Tibetan Cultural Festival in New Delhi included performances of cultural dance, a photo exhibition, screening of documentary films depicting the status of Tibet prior to 1949, talk show by prominent scholars on Tibet, Tibetan food stalls, sale of Tibetan related books and distribution of information on Tibet.
The Student Council of Tibetan Children’s Village (TCV) Youth Hostel in New Delhi also organised and observed Independence Day on February 12,with assistance from New Delhi-based Tibet House and Dharamshala-based Central Tibetan Administration’s Department of International and Information Relations.
Tibetan Independence Day marks the day His Holiness the 13th Dalai Lama Thubten Gyatso declared independence from China on February 13, 1913 after returning from three years in exile in India. His Holiness also standardised the Tibetan flag in its present form. At the end of 1912 the first Tibetan postage stamps and the first bank notes were issued.
Since 2013, Tibetans and Tibetan supporters have been commemorating February 13 as Tibetan Independence Day to counter China’s claim that Tibet was historically a part of China.
This year, more than ten cities around the world joined the celebrations, including Dharamsala, New York, Toronto, Paris, Zurich, Bangalore and in the United Kingdom.
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